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Oklahoma is back in the win column. The Sooners needed a victory in the worst way after dropping 4 of the last 5 and all 3 October contests. The calendar has changed, and so have OU’s fortunes.
The Sooners took a break from SEC play to host FCS squad Maine on Saturday. Though things did not start as Oklahoma had planned, Brent Venables’ team took control and cruised to a 59-14 victory.
Here are 3 quick takeaways from the bounce-back win in Norman:
Sluggish start, but dominant 2nd quarter extinguishes all concerns
Saturday’s game got off to one of the worst starts imaginable. Playing an FCS program, OU received the opening kickoff and punted to Maine after 5 plays that went only 12 yards. The Black Bears answered with a 9-play, 68-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead, turning heads around the college football world.
The opening sequence was just a slow start, as indicated by the final score. That said, it remains concerning that Oklahoma’s defense came out poorly in a get-right game. Sooner fans were rightly grumbling about a 7-7 score at the end of the 1st quarter. A 28-point 2nd quarter put any concerns to bed.
Venables is certainly satisfied with his defense’s adjustments, as Maine was neutralized after the initial scoring drive until a 4th quarter score in blowout action.
Oklahoma offense shows up, flashes big-play capability
Only so much can be taken from this type of game in November, but explosive plays are always welcomed, especially considering Oklahoma’s 2024 offense.
Through the first 8 games of the season, Oklahoma did not have a 100-yard rusher. Jovantae Barnes made it clear early that was going to change Saturday. Barnes cracked the century mark in the 1st half, largely thanks to his 74-yard to set up an eventual touchdown in the 1st quarter.
Jovantae off to the races @vontaeeb | https://t.co/2B1epX5T2C pic.twitter.com/a7m1mPtPgf
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) November 2, 2024
Barnes’s run was the longest by a Sooner since 2021. Jackson Arnold and JJ Hester topped that with Oklahoma’s first 90-yard play since 1995.
Jackson Arnold connects with JJ Hester for a 90-yard touchdown! It’s the #Sooners‘ first 90-yard touchdown pass since 1995.pic.twitter.com/z8fDR9uFEY
— OUInsider (@OUInsider) November 2, 2024
Bowl hopes get a boost
If Oklahoma had posted a 59-14 blowout of Maine in September, Sooners fans would be excited for what’s ahead. Beating up on an FCS team in November doesn’t have the same effect, but there are positives to take away from Saturday.
At 4-4 with 3 SEC games remaining, the late gimme game on the schedule was an obvious must-win. More than just getting to 5-4, one way from extending college football’s longest-running bowl streak, it needed to be a get-right game for a squad that has explored just how deep it has to go to find rock bottom.
It’s about to get a lot harder for the Sooners, facing 3 ranked squads in No. 25 Mizzou, No. 14 Alabama and No. 16 LSU to close out the regular season. Venables can feel better about his roster, and the chances of going bowling, after seeing OU dominate Maine in all areas of the box score, putting up 665 yards of offense with over 380 rushing yards.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
